{"id":23802,"date":"2026-04-01T10:06:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T14:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/?post_type=press-release&p=23802"},"modified":"2026-04-01T10:06:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T14:06:26","slug":"national-safe-digging-month-in-april","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/04\/national-safe-digging-month-in-april\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunshine 811 and Orange County Utilities\u00a0Urge\u202fFloridians\u202fto\u202fCut the Risk, Not the Line\u202fas part of National Safe Digging Month in April"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Orange County, FL<\/strong> \u2013 Spring is here and that means\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0prime time for yard projects \u2013 and, unfortunately, for underground utility damage, too.\u00a0April is National Safe Digging Month,\u00a0a timely\u00a0reminder for Floridians that even routine outdoor improvements can turn dangerous if underground utility lines\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0located\u00a0first.<\/p>\n

Last year,\u00a0Florida experienced\u00a0more than\u00a028,000 damages\u00a0to\u00a0underground\u00a0utility lines.\u00a0Landscaping and fencing continue to be among the leading causes of these incidents. Striking a line\u00a0can lead\u00a0to costly repairs, service\u00a0disruptions\u00a0and dangerous situations involving gas, power,\u00a0or water.<\/p>\n

To help homeowners and professional contractors reduce risk and prevent damage, Floridians can call 811 or visit the website\u00a0and select \u201cCreate a Ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderground utility damage is rarely intentional, but it\u2019s almost always avoidable,\u201d said Wendy Schaefer,\u00a0education\u00a0and awareness manager for Sunshine 811. \u201cWhen homeowners and contractors follow the safe digging process and contact 811 first, they\u00a0can cut the risk and not the line,\u00a0significantly lowering\u00a0the chances of injury, service disruptions and costly repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCalling 811 before digging is a simple step that protects people, property, and the essential services our community depends on every day,\u201d added Dustin Putney-Hoke of Orange County Utilities and Sunshine 811 Board Member.<\/p>\n

For more information on how to dig safely and protect Florida\u2019s underground infrastructure, visit\u00a0DigSafeFlorida.com<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Orange County, FL \u2013 Spring is here and that means\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0prime time for yard projects \u2013 and, unfortunately, for underground utility damage, too.\u00a0April is National Safe Digging Month,\u00a0a timely\u00a0reminder for Floridians that even routine outdoor improvements can turn dangerous if underground utility lines\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0located\u00a0first. Last year,\u00a0Florida experienced\u00a0more than\u00a028,000 damages\u00a0to\u00a0underground\u00a0utility lines.\u00a0Landscaping and fencing continue to be among the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-23802","press-release","type-press-release","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNational Safe Digging Month<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"April is National Safe Digging Month,\u00a0a timely\u00a0reminder for Floridians that even routine outdoor improvements can turn dangerous if underground utility lines\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0located\u00a0first.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/04\/national-safe-digging-month-in-april\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" 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